OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi everyone,

I've got myself a new blade, and am trialling some new rubbers on it (not with speed glue). I also have two older blades, with different rubbers (also glued normally).

I'm not sure that I like the new rubber, and want to try out the other rubbers I have glued to the other older blades on this blade.

Does anyone have advice on this? Is it a bad idea? I've heard acetone is good for removing old rubbers, but not sure if this will damage the rubber itself if you actually want to keep it.

I've searched Google, forums and websites, and most of the advice is either re speed gluing or changing old rubbers for new. Would appreciate any help!

Thanks,
Vu

Hi mushnstuff, Welcome to the forum!

If the rubbers were glued properly, you should be able to remove them fairly easily, as long as they have not been on there for too long (like several years). You should not need any acetone, just gently lift up at the corner near the handle, once you've got a bit off, get your finger under there and start lifting it off bit by bit.

If the sponge starts tearing, you may need some solvent like acetone, but use it sparingly.

There is no problem at all with trying old rubbers onto a new blade, I do it all the time.

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Like Mr H. said, it is a simple matter to remove the rubbers from the blade if they havent been on there since the last appearance of Hailey's Comet. Many TT players change their rubbers a lot, no big deal. Sometimes, the upper veners are real soft and you end up taking a little of them off when peeling off the rubber - this happens, nothing abnormal. Before you put rubbers on your new blade, make sure the surface is ready to take repeated rubber changing. Some blades are already treated to make the surface really smooth and ready for reperated rubber changing. Several light coats of clear coat spray works for those blades needing it, and there is also special blade sealing varnish around as well.

Either way, hope you try 'em all out and see for yourself how what rubber works with what blade (s). This is one of the most enjoyable parts of TT.

_________________
Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

Thanks for all your tips guys - and very quick too

I have already varnished my blades because I was speed gluing, and have taken off many rubbers successfully (speed glued, and old non-speed glued ones).

All these rubbers are new this year btw.

I guess my only concern is the damage/change of characteristics to the rubber, probably more the sponge than the top sheet, glued down with normal glue. I have done it once now - removing some reasonably new rubbers (focus III's) that were normal glued, and got a bit nervous when hearing a popping type sound during parts of the removal

But from the sound of your responses it should be okay.

I've got Yasaka Mark V's on right now. Want to try the globe 999T's next but I'm out of glue

Also if you're worried they're too hard to get off, don't put too much glue on... If the rubber has been glued before, there're usually already a fair bit of glue on the sponge, so you don't need much to soften that again.

Varnish on the blade will make it easier too. Just make sure you don't put too much varnish on, or it will harder the feel of the blade....

_________________
OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Ooh.. that might explain my experience with the yasaka Though I did use normal glue on the sponge ONCE before gluing so it may be ok...


Well, I found some last of stock Butterfly clean chack and I've already used it twice today. Sorry, got no standard Globe 999 btw

Ok - let me start by saying I'm not by any means a good player compared to most of you on the forums, and therefore a good judge of anything table tennis, but here goes anyway...

I've been using a Butterfly Jonyer H since I took up the game about four years ago, with Globe 999Ts.

I got my new Stiga Clipper recently, and my first experience was speed gluing Yasaka Mark V. Straight away, I felt I was hitting faster and with more spin, with the same amount of control I'm used to. After three or so goes at speed gluing the smell was getting a bit. I read up on it, the ban/health hazards, and thought, forget it, I'll just go normal glue. All the comments below are my experiences without speed glue.

Tried the Focus III on the weekend. Found it quite heavy, forehand loops seemed good, but seemed to miss a fair bit off the table, particularly blocks, and quite a few problems with backhand loops.

Then I tried the Yasaka Mark V (this time without speed glue of course). Had someone over for a friendly. Now he hadn't beaten me the whole season, I've won in straight or only dropped a set. He beat me in 4! Later that night I had a rematch, and managed to win in 4, but I really had to struggle for it. Seemed the Mark V without speed glue needed a lot more work on the ball (which one would expect I suppose - but it seemed quite significant, not the 10 or 20% people talk about).

This morning I put on the Globe 999Ts and used the bat in club practice this evening. Seemed to be much better than the Mark V, though I didn't play a serious match like the night before. May also be because I always used Globe 999Ts before. Had a bit of trouble on my backhand loop, and in fact I think that happened with all rubbers, so it may just be me and my new bat.

Not sure how it compared to focus III, so I have just re-glued the Focus III to have a try tomorrow, then make up my mind before the season starts next week. At last week's practice using speed glue I was unstoppable, and couldn't do anything wrong... If only speed glue was non-toxic and could be done by a machine

hello mushnstuff, I've just bought a new setup for my youngest son and it also has Focus III (on the fh and 729 super FX on bh). I know what you mean about Focus III being a fast rubber-- even on his all-wood blade it's still very quick and great for attacking. I didn't find it heavy, but his blade is very light (LKT instinct), so that explains why. I don't use speed glue either, but I do plan on starting to use EE2. I've just ordered it so it could be a couple weeks before I have any experience with it. I've also ordered a sheet of Globe 999T to test out. I've heard good things about it.
I plan on doing a test of EE2 when I get it and I'll post my findings. I've ordered a pair of identical rubbers, so I'll treat one with EE2 and the other without. With them both on the same blade, I should get a feel for what the actual improvement will be in control, speed and spin.

Yeah, I've thought about EE2 as well, might give it a try when I get to replacing my rubbers.

In the end I decided to go with the Focus IIIs, since I found them a bit more lively than my globe 999Ts.

So.... last night was the first night of the season. I was worried that my new bat and new rubber might be my downfall. Last season I only lost two singles matches in my grade, one of them to a guy I was playing last night. Got him in straight sets and won my other singles in straight as well

To be fair, he wasn't at his best. But that aside, the bat handled very well for both short hard chops as well as for loops off both sides. I didn't really power off on the loops though - something to practice on before next week.

You all probably read all about EE II in this and maybe other forums, so I'll just say that you do it right and you will NOT be disappointed. That stuff is great and you only need to use it every two months.

_________________
Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter